Notice: Doornkloof Owners Association (DKOA)
Please see articles below and note in particular the sections that read:
1) The politicians and residents felt there was no proper consultation when the government approved the newly demarcated areas proposed by the Municipal Demarcation Board.
2) Those who were affected felt that areas like Mabopane, Winterveld, Ga-Rankuwa, Marokolong and Temba which fall under the North West Province, but are administered by the Tshwane Metropolitan Council would not receive proper service from the municipality
3) Another area where residents are unhappy about the demarcation is
the Kungwini Local Municipality, which administers areas like Silver Lakes,
Grootfontein, Rietvlei, Olympus and Shere.
Kind regards,
David Larsen
Secretary: Doornkloof Owners Association (DKOA)
PLEASE ADVISE AT LEAST THREE OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CONTENTS OF
THIS NOTICE AND ASK THEM IN TURN TO ADVISE
THREE OTHERS
PRETORIA NEWS
THURSDAY JUNE 24 2004
PATRICK HLAHLA
It makes sense to redraw Tshwane's boundaries
News that the government intends redrawing the country's municipal
borders will surely be welcomed by both politicians and ordinary citizens.
According to reports, Provincial and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi confirmed that the borders were to be redrawn and the Constitution amended as part of the effort to do away with crossborder municipalities.
The decisions affect the Tshwane and Ekhuruleni metropolitan municipalities, six district municipalities and eight local municipalities in Gauteng, Northern Cape, North West Province, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
Mufamadi said that concerns had been raised with Cabinet on the difficulties faced by provinces in the allocation of resources and the proper servicing of areas' in municipalities belonging to two different provinces.
He stated that cross-border municipalities were proving difficult for provinces to manage; to integrate budgeting, planning, co-ordination and implementation programmes.
Most politicians and residents who raised objections to the newly demarcated municipal areas before the 2000 local government elections will surely welcome this announcement by Mufamadi.
The politicians and residents felt there was no proper consultation when the government approved the newly-demarcated areas proposed by the Municipal Demarcation Board.
Those who were affected felt that areas like Mabopane, Winterveld, Ga-Rankuwa, Marokolong and Temba which fall under the North West Province, but are administered by the Tshwane Metropolitan Council would not receive proper service from the municipality
The metro council is currently struggling to improve services in these areas due to a lack of funds.
There is not enough financial assistance from the North West provincial government to provide services like water, water-borne sewerage, electricity and tarred roads.
Another area where residents are unhappy about the demarcation is the
Kungwini Local Municipality, which administers areas like Silver Lakes,
Grootfontein, Rietvlei, Olympus and Shere.
Residents in these areas believe they should fall under the jurisdiction
of the Tshwane Metro Council. The residents feel that their residential
areas are closer to Pretoria than Bronkhorstspruit and that it would make
sense for their areas to revert back to Tshwane.
They said they were paying rates and taxes to the Kungwini Local Municipality yet were not getting proper services from the council. Furthermore, the residents claimed that the municipality was using them as "cash cows" to subsidise disadvantaged communities in the area.
One hopes that the municipality will come up with a plan which will satisfy all parties involved.
Local government plays an important part in the country and residents would normally support a municipality which is closer to them. Residents should be provided with an opportunity to decide which municipality they would like to fall under.
The redrawing of the boundaries would need to be done before the local government elections, which are scheduled for 2006.
PATRICK HLAHLA